The following lesson is apapted from "Living By the Rules" off of sermons4kids.com

Living By the Rules

Do you enjoy playing games? I do. I especially enjoy getting together with a group of family or friends and playing games. One of the games I enjoy is called Mexican Dominoes. Have any of you ever played Mexican Dominoes? It is very easy to play, but like most games, before you play, you must read the rules so that you will know how to play the game.  The problem is, people somehow learn different rules of the game and nobody knows which rules are right.

Who makes up the rules for a game? The person who makes up the game makes the rules, don't they? The one who created the game makes rules for the enjoyment of all who play the game. If someone doesn't follow those rules, it takes away from the enjoyment of the game. Have you ever played a game with someone who won't follow the rules? Do you always follow the rules?  Honestly, I wish I knew what the real rules are to Mexican Dominoes.

There are rules that we must follow in life too.  The Bible is the rulebook we must follow in life. Who wrote the rules? God did. God created life and He wrote the rules. I'm sure glad we know what God's rules for life are!  Just as the creator of a game makes rules to ensure the enjoyment of all who play his game, God wrote these rules so that all who live life might enjoy it the way he intended for them to enjoy it.

One day Jesus went into the synagogue and started teaching. The Bible tells us that the people who heard him were amazed at his teaching. He didn't sound like their regular teachers. He didn't sound like someone who knew about the rules, he sounded like someone who had written the rules. Well, guess what? He did write the rules! Jesus was God -- in human form -- who came to earth to teach us how to live.

God made the rules and He showed us how to follow the rules. Now He wants us to follow the rules so that we will enjoy life the way He intended it to be.

Dear Father, you have taught us how to live. Help us to follow the example of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

This week's memory verse - "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives."  II Timothy 3:16 NLT